Chapter Song: Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) By Kelly Clarkson and SkyScraper By Demi Lovato
Enjoy!
I don't own any songs or characters used in this story.
Lara's P.O.V
I smiled as I got up, ready to begin what I knew was gonna be the best day of my life. I had spent 16 years of hell living in Privet Drive, Surrey, and today, it was ending. It was also purely a coincidence that there was going to be a fundraiser for orphans, and there was gonna be a concert that the locals could sign up for and I was able to sign up at the beginning of the summer. The downside is that Dudley was also performing in the concert as part of community service after he was arrested for vandalising the office of the Headmaster's office at the local high school, Stonewall High. It guaranteed that my aunt, uncle, and a bunch of the neighbors would be there to watch my performance, and I was ready to finally put the bastards who'd made my life hell, down a peg or two.
Luckily, my aunt and uncle weren't in today, they had to go to some hearing with Dudley to discuss what he could do for community service after the event today and they wouldn't be back until the fundraiser started at 4 in the evening. So, they (reluctantly) gave me a day of no chores. So, instead, I practiced my the two songs I was gonna sing later that day and perfected my dance moves as I did. I not only wanted to prove that what I went through as a child didn't destroy me as my tormentors thought, but I wanted to make myself believe that the hell I went through since I was only a year old wasn't destroying me as I felt it did when I was younger. My self- esteem was so low and when I went to Hogwarts it just kept decreasing until It was practically gone, but then things started to look better after Voldemort was defeated last year in the battle at the Ministry of Magic. Finally, the last reason I wanted things to be perfect was because I wanted those orphans to remember my words when they are old and on their deathbeds.
Orphans, I personally think, tend to end up as three things. Successful People, UNsuccessful People, or Dead. They will probably run away at 18 and get jobs and go to college and reach their full potential, or get to things like drugs, alcohol, and sex and end up in jail as deadbeats because they weren't able to go to college and discover their full potential because people kept beating them down until they believed all those asswipes who tell them aren't good enough and stop trying. Then some might die at a young age because they are abused at orphanages, group homes, foster homes, school, anywhere. It makes me sick, the things adults or people simply older than other kids do to other people just because they know that, that person is going to amount to something in life and they decided to tear that away from them early on to make them feel good about themselves. It's sickening.
Once it was 4, I grabbed my bag that had my outfit for tonight in it and my song book and I left the house and headed to the park that was a couple blocks away from Privet Drive. Once I got there it was packed and I noticed how colorful and nice and clean the park looked and I was amazed. It was transformed from a dump into a beautiful place that I was so proud of and it gives me hope that if a dumpy place like the park can be transformed into something beautiful like this, what will inspirational performances tonight do for the kids and other people. All sorts of questions run through my mind as I stand there and admire the park in its former glory.
'Will my message get across to everybody? Will they like the songs? Will They feel inspired? Am I gonna be laughed off the stage? If So, who will the most inspired? Kids or Adults? Man or Women? Boy Or Girl? Who? Will I inspire myself?'
This is all that ran through my mind as I stood there, but then I snapped out of it and began to wander around and enjoy the festivities and meet the orphans and the people who organised the event and felt so accepted and unjudged and happy, I just couldn't wait until it was time for me to perform later tonight.
/
Time Skip- A Couple Hours Later…
I was having fun and kept seeing people from Privet Drive give me many looks. I could see contempt, fear, hate, happiness, shock… many expressions from them as they watch me socialise with all the people around me and dance around to the music they had playing. Then one of my favorite songs came on… Move Your Body by Beyonce.
As soon as it came on, I pulled a couple of the kids from around the neighborhoods and the orphanages from London and told them to keep up with me as much as they could before I started dancing along to the words. We had all gathered a crowd and slowly, some the kids got embarrassed from the attention and stopped dancing or they either got tired from all the dancing, but some held on and kept it up, but eventually I was the only one left standing. I got a big applause once the song was over and I felt a bright smile take over my face.
Then, I felt somebody grab my wrist and yank me around.
"Oww!" I yelped loudly as my UNcle Vernon practically twisted my wrist and I felt a crack as he squeezed it. I knew if I didn't stop him, he would probably break my wrist, but It hurt so much I couldn't and I was trying to pull away from him without hurting my wrist even more and felt the tears in my eyes, but i wasn't going to let them fall. Despite being the center of attention, it took people like 5 minutes to realize that my uncle was injuring me and they ran to pull him away from me and then I saw a familiar somebody coming towards me and he punched my Uncle in the face, causing him to let me go and I fell back, trying to catch myself but then the person caught me. Who was this person you ask? It was my very furious and handsome boyfriend, Stiles Flint, Marcus Flint's younger brother.
I stared into his deep brown eyes and felt myself melt as I stared into his concerned eyes. He slowly pulled me back up, I'm pretty sure he was asking me if I was okay and trying to get my attention along with everybody else, but all I could do was stare into his eyes dreamily. He was so gorgeous. Suddenly, I felt myself being thrown over Stiles' shoulder and shrieked ''Stiles! ou will put me down this instant!" I demanded angrily, with an embarrassed blush on my face, as I hit him on the back. He carried me away, deflecting the crowd by saying I was in shock and some shit, I wasn't really paying attention as I was trying to make him put me down, but as soon as we were secluded behind a big tree, he put me down. I hit on the chest, angry.
"You asshole, why did you pull me over your shoulder and carry me like a neanderthal?" I demanded as I stared into the eyes of my clearly amused boyfriend. He grinned at me and I felt my anger at him slip away and be replaced with love and desire. He was so handsome and cute and he knew it. He used it against me so many times, it isn't funny. He knew how much his eyes and face entranced me so. When I saw a hand waving in front of my face, I frowned and slapped it away.
"Lara, you should stop getting so distracted by my face, you were standing there staring at me and freaking people out, that's why I pulled you over my shoulder, now give me your wrist, i wanna get rid of any damage that walrus may have done to it." He told me in that smooth, sexy voice and I just sighed. I know I sound super girly and lovestruck but, it's been like a month or two since i've seen Stiles and I always felt entranced by his looks after a saw him again when we haven't seen each other for a few months.
I groaned, but held out my wrist to him and after checking to make sure the coast was clear, he healed my wrist and then gave me a nice big kiss. It was slow and full of passion and I felt my knees weaken until I heard an announcement go off from the loud speaker, calling all the performers in the fundraiser backstage so they could prepare themselves and I reluctantly pulled myself away from stiles before I grabbed my bag, which was sitting next to Stiles' feet and ran away before he could figure out what was happening. I had pulled back from the kiss and left so quickly, it had left him in shock and he a dumbfounded look on his face, which made me laugh as I ran backstage to get ready for my performance.
After Speaking the announcer, he said I could go last since I had two songs to sing while everybody else had one performance. With that being done, I went to the bathroom and changed my clothes. I had changed out of a pair of baggy jeans and a baggy shirt and I now wore Black Cutoff Shorts, A White Tank Top with thick straps, A Spaghettii straped Cheetah Print Tank Top, and Black Converse. I sat back stage, watching all the performances and was really impressed with every one. There were many different talents shown tonight like singing, dancing, juggling, magic tricks, acting, and my cousin, Dudley, was a clown. It was pretty funny and I was dying the entire time. Enventually it came time for me go up on the stage.
"For our final performer is Lara Potter, 16, from Surrey. She will be singing two original songs called Stronger and Skyscraper. Let's give her a warm welcome." the announcer said and there was applause as I walked out and many people recognised me from the scene from earlier. I sat down on the bench at the side of the stage and positioned the mike, so I could be heard while sang, but before I sung, I wanted to say a couple of things myself.
"Hello, Everybody. As the annoucer said, I'm Lara Potter. I'm pretty sure a lot of people recognise me from earlier when my uncle happened to make a scene, but there are a lot of people here that I grew up with and I'd like to say that they all made my life a living hell. When I first heard about this event, I was ecstatic because I wanted the orphans- the kids to have hope and strength and motivation, things I didn'yt have as I grew up. I, myself am an orphan. I was raised by my aunt and uncle but, I don't think anybody ever realised how absolutely miserable I was there living in that house. But, anyway, I wrote my first song Skyscraper for all those trmentors and bullies out there. I want them to know that what they did to me didn't destroyy me, it made me stonger and it has helped me reach my full potential, it helped me rise and become who I am today. The song, It symbolises all those feelings I had while growing up and my resolve for it and I want everybody to remember the words because so many kids are dying today because they get bullied and abused by others and I want this song to help them, and I want anybody who is being abused or bullied in anyway to overcome it and rise and become reborn, like a pheonix from the flames. " I spoke into the silence of the park as many people took in my words and some just let them go through one ear and straight out the other.
With a deep breath, I began to play the piano, I pulled all my emotions and began to sing my heart out.
Skies are Crying, I am Watching
Catching teardrops in my hands
Only silence, as it's ending
Like we never had a chance
Do you have to make me feel like there's nothing left of me?
You can take everything I have
You can break everything I am
Like I'm made of glass
Like I'm made of paper
Go on and try to tear me down
I will be rising from the ground
Like a skyscraper
Like a skyscraper
As the smoke clears
I awaken and untangle you from me
Would it make you feel better to watch me while I bleed?
All my windows, still are broken
But i'm standing on my feet
You can take everyhting I have
You can break everything I am
Like i'm made of glass
Like i'm made of paper
Go on and try to tear me down
I will be rising from the ground
Like a skyscraper
Like a skyscraper
Go run, run, run
I'm gonna stay right here
Watch you disappear
Yeah, oh
Go run, run, run
Yeah, it's a long way down
But i'm closer to the clouds up here
You can take everything I have
You can break everything I am
Like I'm made of glass
It was here that I took a breath as I felt tears coming down my face as I sung. I didn't look at the audience, I just let myself be submerged in the music.
Like I'm made of Paper
Ohhh
Go on and try to tear me down
I will be rising from the ground
Like a skyscraper
Like a skyscraper
Like a skyscraper
Like a skyscraper
Slowly, the music faded away and I heard silence before applause lit the whole park up and I smiled, happy that they liked the song and I hope the message got through to many people. I didn't want to see anymore people, kids, especially orphans, dying because they were being bullied or abused.
I wiped my tears and cleared my throat before I had the band come out and gave them the sheet music for the next song. I grinned as they nodded at me.
"Thank you for the applause, but remember there is still one song left. The last song is called Stronger. It is basically me saying that no matter what people throw at me, I will overcome any obstacles in my way because with all those obstacles comes experience and it allows me to become stronger, but do not get it confised with physical strength. When i say stronger, I mean mentally because your mind is an amazing thing. Your mind is part of what allows you to think and process things and if it is as strong as can be, there is no chance of it becoming influened by outside sources that may want to tear you down." I said before I gave the band their cue and they began to play the music. With the music going, I started to sing after a couple of seconds.
You know the bed feels warmer
Sleeping here alone
You know I dream in color
And do the things I want
You think you got the best of me
Think you had the last laugh
Bet you think that everything
Good is gone
Think you left me broken down
Think that i'd come running back
Baby, you don't know cause you're dead wrong
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean i'm lonely when i'm alone
What doesn't kil you makes a fighter
Footsteps even lighter
Doesn't mean i'm over cause you're gone
What doesn't kill you makes you
Stronger, Stronger
Just me, myself, and I
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean i'm lonely when i'm alone
You heard that I was starting over
with someone new
They told you I was moving on, over you
You didn't think that i'd come running back
I'd come back swinging
you try to break me, but you ssee
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean i'm lonely when i'm alone
What doesn't kill you makes a fighter
Footsteps even lighter
Doesn't mean i'm over, cause you're gone
What doesn't kill you makes you
Stronger, Stronger
Just me, myself, and I
What doesn't kill you makes you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean i'm lonely when i'm alone
Thanks to you, I got a new thing started
Thanks to you, i'm not the brokenhearted
Thanks to you, i'm finally thinking about me
You know in the end
The day I left was just my beginning in the end…
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean i'm lonely when i'm alone
What doesn't kill you makes a fighter
Footsteps even lighter
Doesn't mean i'm over, cause you're gone
What doesn't kill you makes you
Stronger, Stronger
Just me, myself, and I
What doesn't kill you makes me stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean i'm lonely when i'm alone
Not alone...
Throughout the song, I was dancing to the beat of the song, enjoying myself. When it was finished, the applause I got was defeaning. I blushed, feeling flattered and embarrassed. I looked in the crowd and was shocked at who I saw hiding in the back of the crowd. It was the Weasleys, Hermione, Dumbledore, and Snape, but I ignored them for a second as Stiles ran onto the stage and crushed me into a hug. I smiled and hugged him back. Without thinking, I leaned in and gave a slow, but passion filled kiss, as always. They never ceased to amaze me, no matter the atmsphere, whenever we kissed it was filled with lots of passion and you could tell we genuinely cared and loved each other a lot.
With a big smile, I pulled back and wrapped my arms around his neck, his were on my waist. I smiled before giving him a peck on the cheek.
"I love you" I whispered in his ear. He smiled and leaned down to my ear. " I love you, too."
The rest of the fundraiser was spent just hanging out and playing games with kids and I was able to catch up with the Weasleys and Hermione. It was pretty fun. I wasn't able to go to their house after my birthday, so we were able to hang out and then the rest of the day was spent with me hanging out with the kids from the orphanage. They told me they really enjoyed my songs and felt that it spoke to them. I was so hype when they told me, I gave each and every one of them a big hug. Then when it was time for them to go, I gave them another hug, and gave them one last piece of advice. I reached deep inside and pulled the words of my heart as I spoke. I thought of all the things I went through in life. Abuse from the Durseleys, Abuse from my peers, My years at Hogwarts, Sirius dying, My parents dying. I simply had my entire life flashing before my eyes as I spoke to those kids my words of wisdom.
"Now, I know this doesn't happen in all orphanages, foster homes, or group homes, but I know that kids get abused and bullied, and they suffer. Those people that torture you are devils, they try to purposely destroy your spirit because they know that you can amount to something if you apply yourself to something and they try to prevent you from doing so. NEVER" I shouted the last word at them and gained some attention as I did so, but I continued " let them get to you. I want you to remember the words I sung earlier. They can try to break you and tear you down, but you need to rise above them and show them that you don't need to stick down to their level because you are better than them by a long need to prove to them that all the shit that they've put you through won't destroy you, you need to prove that it is only making you stronger. The strength you get from them tearing you down, that it what is causing you to rise. I want you to remember that if you ever come across people doing that to you. But, if that doesn't help, you do the next best thing and call the fucking cops or you contact the queen or somebody in the parliament or contact the press. Always keep evidence of what they do to you, it will help your case. And if none that works, I want you to contact me, I will visit every single orphanage in London and have my bank send info everywhere else, so you can always contact me if you need something. But, know that I will not tolerate any of you taking advantage of my generosity, but I will help no matter what it is, whether it be money, a place to stay, whatever. I'll get you help." I told them, passionately and I saw them nodding at each other with tears in their eyes before they gave another hug and then after expressing their thanks, they got on the busses and they left. I just stood there waving as the buses drove away and smiled sadly.
I may only be 17, but I had enough hardships in life and I want to make sure other kids don't need to go through what I did.
19 Years Later…
There are days when I think back and I remember when I performed in that fundraiser and I did my best to give all the orphans hope and after 3 years of helping orphans all of London, or practically all of England, I decided to open up my own orphanage with my inhertence money and I made sure to have only the best people working there, I made sure there weren't any cruel people working there. I ended up breaking things off with Stiles, even though we were desperately in love with each other, we just didn't mesh. We were still good friends today and he always helped out around the orphanage. I had a great family, and even though none of the kids or the staff were biologically related (Well, to my knowledge they aren't) I loved them with all my heart and we had an amazing time. After hitting 18, some kids went off to pursue their dreams or staying and becoming staff at the orphanage. I couldn't be any prouder of my many, many kids, despite being only 36.
But I never forget that the only thing besides my family that kept me going was being strong and rising above those that sought out to ddestroy me by rising above and becoming a skyscraper.
So, R & R, what did you think of this chapter? Was it good, did it flow together correctly? Did I make any good points at all? When I picked the songs to use in this chapter, I can't remember what I was reading, but I was reading something and then all this just came to me. This is one of the first times that I've written with so much eagerness in a while, sometimes I feel as though I need to force my words out because I can't find a lot of inspiration or what I want to say just can't come out right and it really does mess with my writing. But whatever it was, it just made that barrier that was stopping me from expressing my thoughts, just disappeared.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Remember to send OCs and Songs or Poems, whatever Lara can do to help express what she's feeling. I know that this chapter didn't really show Lara showing how tired she is of shit happening to her, but when I wrote this, I was really thinking of the message it could send to those out there that might be suffering from abuse or bullying and I wanted to give them hope and strength.
While it doesn't happen to me, and I truly don't know what it is like to be abused, I have been bullied before and I really put a lot of feeling into this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. Please review and tell me any errors that may be there, spellcheck doesn't catch everything.
Emi Out!